Boarding for group phase almost complete

After 10 further teams qualified for the Men's EHF Cup group phase on Saturday, another five made the cut on Sunday, leaving the match between Slovakian TATRAN Presov and Icelandic FH Hafnarfjordur as the only tie to be decided next weekend.

On Saturday, Denmark lost two teams in the tournament, as TTH Holstebro as well as Ribe-Esbjerg HH were eliminated.

However on Sunday, Bjerringbro-Silkeborg made sure that the country will be represented in the group phase after all.

The Central Jutland team, who reached the Last 16 of the VELUX EHF Champions League last season, were down 25:23 against HK Malmö after their visit to Southern Sweden last weekend.

After an equal start, Bjerringbro-Silkeborg left no doubt at home in Jysk Arena and pleased the spectators with a 36:25 win.

“It is really important for us to have reached the group phase. We enjoy playing these European matches very much, and we are looking forward to the group matches already,” said Silkeborg's Slovenian playmaker Sebastian Skube.

Sweden will also be represented in the group phase. Lugi HF only managed to draw 29:29 at home against Pfadi Winterthur, but in the return match in the Schulhaus Oberseen in Winterthur, the Swedish visitors were in the driver's seat all the way.

Lugi soon took a 10:4 lead, and after the home team reduced the distance to just one goal, Lugi got six goals up again before winning by five, 22:17.

“They (Winterthur) tried playing seven against six, but that turned out to our advantage. “This was just so good!” said Lugi coach Tomas Axnér.

Magdeburg makes it three from three

Germany got three teams out of three into the group phase. SC Magdeburg followed Füchse Berlin and Frisch Auf Göppingen into the next round on Sunday.

The semi-finalists from last season were on the edge of being eliminated against HC Dobrogea Sud Constanta. Having won the home game 27:25 a week ago, Magdeburg got in serious trouble in the return match in Romania.

After 15:15 at half time, the home team soon took the lead, and with 13 minutes left, Constanta seemed to be heading for the group phase, as they were leading 25:20.

However, for a great part thanks to a stellar Dario Quenstedt in goal. Magdeburg managed to reduce the deficit towards the end and get away with a 27:26 defeat, which means that the German side proceed with a margin of just one goal.

Cocks progress again

Finnish champions Cocks are in the group phase for the second year in succession.

Cocks took a 24:17 lead with them from their home game against RD Riko Ribnica, and that turned out to be enough in the return match in Slovenia.

Ribnica soon took a four goal lead and were also leading by four at half time, when the score was 14:10. But Cocks managed to hang on, and the home team never really ran away.

At the end, Ribnica's 29:25 win meant Cocks could celebrate another group phase berth.